Putting the Past to Rest
by PokePotterfan93
Summary: RadishVerse. Harry gets a call he's not expecting from someone he hasn't spoken to in ages.


Not many people had Harry Potter's phone number. He only gave it to those who really needed to contact him. And those who did have Harry's number knew one very important rule; never call before 10am and not before noon on a Sunday. Harry was about to remind whoever was calling him of that rule when he picked up the phone, staring at the number for a moment. It was one he didn't recognise. He picked up his glasses, feeling Luna's arm wrap around his chest.

"Hello?"

" _Is this Harry Potter?"_ A feminine voice asked.

"Speaking." Harry frowned. This was definitely not someone he knew. "May I ask how you got this number?"

" _Oh, sorry."_ She apologised. _"My name is Samantha Joy. I'm a home care nurse who's been looking after your aunt Petunia the last few months."_

Harry's frown deepened. Why the fuck did Petunia need a home care nurse? He kissed Luna's cheek, standing up to put on his boxers. "I wasn't aware that my aunt had home care. Is there a reason I'm being called? I haven't spoken to my aunt since her divorce."

" _It's just, you're down as your aunt's next of kin."_ Samantha replied carefully. _"Your aunt gave me this number to ring. It's just, she'd like to talk to you."_

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Sure. Put her on." After a moment of shuffling from the phone he cleared his throat. "Petunia?" His relationship with his aunt had been choppy since the end of the war. She had divorced Vernon back in '03, after Dudley came home with a lovely girl called Jules. Vernon didn't like the girl from the moment he met her. She had been a dark skinned second-generation English citizen. Her grandmother had entered the country from Africa during the '30s and settled in London. Jules had married Dudley a year later, and Vernon had lost his shit at the situation.

" _I need you to come by, Harry."_ Petunia's voice had been weaker than the last time he had spoken to her. _"Today if you have the time. Please…"_

Harry sat back down on the bed. "Petunia, are you ok?"

" _I just need to see you."_ Petunia whispered. _"I promise, I'll explain it all to you."_

Harry closed his eyes. "We'll be there at noon." He heard the phone disconnect. "I'll start breakfast. You wake the kids…" He whispered to Luna, making his way to the kitchen. Petunia called him most Christmases. Sent presents for him, Luna and the twins on birthdays too. But other than that, he and Petunia maintained a shared silence. Things had been like that since the war ended. He cracked some eggs and put the sausages on the grill. It'd been three years since he saw Petunia. The twins' birthday. He poured out two glasses of orange juice and two coffees for himself and Luna.

"Dad, did Aunt Tuni ring you?" James asked curiously. James had always been the observant one. More so than Lily. He got that from Luna. What he didn't get was his mother's sense of relaxation. James was alert, at all times. The boy could wake up, shake his head and be ready for the day. Lily would wake up, shake her head and go back to sleep for another hour or two.

"Yeah. We're going to head to Surrey after breakfast. We're going muggle for the day, so no magical earrings or brooms." Harry said softly. The kids knew the routine for the muggle world, but he always felt like he had to remind them. "I've sausage, bacon and eggs on. Anyone want cereal instead?" Both kids shook their heads.

Luna took one of the cups, picking at some grapes and berries. "I haven't seen your aunt in a long time. I hope she likes cake." She smiled, grabbing the strawberry cheesecake she had made the previous night from the fridge.

Harry shrugged. "She's a bit of a sweet tooth. I'm not sure though." He picked up his car keys from the bowl, grabbing a slice of toast. He wasn't one for morning eating. Made him too sluggish in the afternoons. He finished his coffee, waiting on the kids to use the bathroom and grab whatever they needed for the car ride. James and Lily weren't known for their patience when it came to long drives.

 **-Putting the Past to Rest-**

Privet Drive hadn't changed much since Harry moved out, and that really annoyed him. He pulled the car into the driveway, watching James and Lily sprint to the house in order to relief their full bladders. He removed his seatbelt, heading to the door. He knocked on the door to be polite, walking into the sitting room. Petunia's house had always been prim and proper, not a single thing out of place, nor a speck of dust to be found anywhere. This wasn't that house. He was happy the kids had run straight up the stairs so he could have a moment to survey the surroundings.

There was a hospital bed where the tele had always sat, just far away enough from the window that no sunlight would intrude and ruin their programmes. The room was littered with different apparatuses while magazines and other items completely covered the tables and cabinets. "What the actual fuck?" He whispered.

"It's definitely seen better days." A weak voice broke through his thoughts. Petunia gave him a weak smile, ushering him over to her. She lay in the bed, her already thin frame sunken even further. Her hair had greyed and weakened, while one of two patches were obviously being hid by the majority of her hair.

Harry knelt down near the bed, frowning for a moment. "I take it this wasn't a call for a quick spring clean?" He asked softly.

Petunia shook her head, watching the young man carefully. "What happened to your eye?"

"Police work." Harry responded softly. "Gave it up. Now, I'm mostly a stay at home dad, but I moonlight as a private dick at times, when the case is good." He held her hand in his, trying not to show his surprise at how thin she had become. "You're sick?"

"Dying." Petunia whispered, stroking his hand with her thumb. "Should be any day now, if the doctors are correct, so I wanted to see you before I went." She tried to keep a smile on her face. "Where are the twins?"

"Hogging your loo. Kids." Harry chuckled. "They'll be down in a moment." He whispered, watching as Luna walked over. "Why didn't you call me sooner? You could have moved in with us!"

"Jessica already offered me a place in her home, but I don't my great-niece, great-nephew or granddaughter watching me die." Petunia replied softly. "Luna, you're looking as lovely as ever, my dear."

"Petunia." Luna knelt down the other side of her. "Are you in pain?" She asked, her usual airiness gone. While she understood her husband's anger for his muggle family over the years, it did speak to his character when he extended an olive branch with Petunia. She could see the pain in his eyes, if he wouldn't admit it.

"No." Petunia chuckled, nodding to the line in her arm. "Morphine's a wonderful thing. Keeps the pain away."

"And keeps you tripping." Harry shook his head, smiling weakly. "Where's Dud?"

"Away in the Middle East. He'll be home for the funeral." Petunia whispered. "I spoke to him yesterday through one of those webcam things. Handy little things."

Harry nodded, hearing footsteps from above. "No running down the stairs!" He reminded the kids, shaking his head.

"You and Dudley would sprint down." Petunia reminded him.

Harry shrugged. "That was different, we knew better." He chuckled softly. "James, Lily, come in and say hello!"

Petunia shook her head. "Actually kids, Samantha will give you some ice-cream in the kitchen." She said softly, watching her nurse guide the kids away. "Don't let them see me like this. They're young."

Harry sighed. "I can, you know," He twirled his finger. "They'll see you as they always have."

Petunia smiled sadly. "No." She glanced at Luna. "May Harry and I speak privately, please?"

"Of course, Petunia." Luna whispered, kissing her cheek before returning to the twins.

"You married a lovely girl." Petunia smiled. "Lily would have loved her." She glanced at her nephew, shaking her head. "I know I've said it before, but I'm sorry, Harry. I'm sorry for how things happened…"

Harry sighed. "It's in the past, Petunia. There's no point in you or I dwelling on it." He held her hand softly. "Focus on the positives, because that's what I have to do." He whispered. "I'm alive, Dudley's alive. We weren't killed by fanatics and you got extra years with them."

Petunia stroked his cheek. "You remind me of her," She said suddenly. "People may speak about your likeness to James, but you are Lily's son, Harry. Lily would have said the exact same thing. Granted, there would be some extremely colourful language peppered through it, but she believed in forgiveness. I just wish I hadn't fallen out with her as bad I did." She felt tears come to her eyes. "As long as you exist, and your children, my sister will never truly be dead."

Harry nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I know, Tuni." He whispered. "I know." He sat down with her, chuckling to himself. "Does he know?"

"Oh, please. The less I talk to that man the better." Petunia scoffed. "Lord knows why I married him. We all make mistakes my mother used to say. Hers was working in the factories. Died young, she did."

"Really?" Harry frowned.

"Oh, yes. She was about, god she would have been a little younger than myself." Petunia thought for a moment. "It wasn't a safe factory. None of them were back then. Lily was fifteen. Broke her heart completely. Her and Sev had fallen out. Mum died. Our father was completely unable to deal with two grieving daughters. Our grandmother lived with us after that. Lovely woman, damned good cook."

"That's Ruth? Ruth Evans?" Harry inquired.

"God no!" Petunia laughed. "That was our paternal grandmother. My mother's mother, Nora Clemens."

"Ok." Harry smiled. "She was the one who used to sell flowers, right?"

"Yep." Petunia nodded, shaking her head for a moment. "She actually chose our names. Thought it was funny to name her only grandchildren after flowers."

Harry watched her. "Makes you think, doesn't it?"

"What?" Petunia asked.

"Impending death." Harry whispered. "I used to do the same. Sleeping in a tent in the middle of sodding nowhere, thinking about everything. This place. The rickety floorboard on the fifth step. The chip in the skirting board. Your mind goes into overdrive."

"That it does." Petunia chuckled. "You never were one to mince words. You speak your mind. Used to drive Vernon bloody mad."

"Many things I did drove him crazy. Usually breathing." Harry chuckled, glancing over towards the kitchen. "They should see you, Petunia. They were there when Luna's grandmother passed on. They're strong kids."

"I know they are. They're your children." Petunia rested her hand on his cheek. "You were always strong. No matter what hell was thrown your way." She whispered. "I always respected that. That wasn't Lily, or your father. That was you alone, Harry James Potter." She blinked away tears. "Do me a favour…keep in touch with Dudley when I'm gone. The two of you may not be the closest of family, but you were raised together."

Harry nodded, kissing her hand. "I promise." He whispered, nodding over to Luna. "Now, your niece and nephew are coming over, so last chance to get spruced up."

Petunia shook her head. "I've never been one to hide things."

Harry nodded, moving so James and Lily could hug their great-aunt. She spoke to them for the remainder of the visit, asking them about schooling and other things. Harry spoke with her care nurse, inquiring about how much her treatments were costing her.

"It's on the NHS, Mr. Potter." She replied softly.

Harry wrote down something on some paper. "Call me on this number when she passes. I'll handle things until her son's back."

Samantha frowned. "Her son's dead." She whispered. "He died last year. Killed in action."

"Her daughter in-law?" Harry frowned.

"Comes by once a week." Samantha whispered. "Her daughter's still young."

Harry sighed, nodding his head. "Ok." He glanced over at Petunia. "Is she healthy enough to travel?"

"She could, but it'd be costly." Samantha said softly.

Harry shook his head. "I don't care. Have her prepped to move and brought to my home. I'm not letting her die alone in an old house." He walked over to her, kissing her forehead. "Luna, can you please bring the kids to the car…?" He asked softly.

Luna nodded, kissing his cheek. "Come on you two, time to head home. Loo visits now, we're not stopping."

Petunia watched him carefully. "She told you?"

"Yeah." Harry sighed. "You're moving in with us, Tuni." He knelt down, stroking her cheek. "You're spending your final days with your family, like you should be." He tried to smile, but he couldn't. "How did he die…?"

"They were clearing innocents out of a war zone. Dudders and his squad were evacuating a school when a bomb went off." Petunia sniffled. "He died saving children…"

Harry hugged her gently. "He died a hero, Tuni. He died protecting others." He whispered. "He and I spoke at his wedding. He told me that he wanted to be a better man, to atone for his past." He wiped his own eyes. "Dudley wanted to be a better man, and he did just that. He saved those children. He put his life on the line because he knew those children needed to be protected."

Petunia held onto him. "Both of you are the same in that regard." She wiped her eyes, sighing softly. "I'm going to leave the house to Jessica. She'll need it."

"I'll make sure she's taken care of." Harry said softly. "We'll check in on her and make sure that the two of them are safe."

Petunia smiled. "You're a good boy, Harry."

- **Putting the Past to Rest** -

Petunia lasted three days after she moved in with Harry and Luna. Those three days were filled with laughter and good memories, something that allowed her to die with a smile on her face. Her funeral took place two weeks later, allowing all those called to get to the graveyard in Surrey. Harry sat beside his family and Jessica, who was trying to keep her small daughter calm.

He stood towards the small podium of the church, clearing his throat. "Petunia Evans was a strong woman…" He said softly, stopping for a moment. "She spent her early life, living in poverty with her sister and parents. Her parents were factory workers. She once told me her father couldn't read or write." He chuckled weakly. "She told me that made her want a better life. Eventually, her parents moved them to a proper home, and things went well for them, until her mother died suddenly. Again, Petunia became a bastion of strength for my mother, her baby sister. I had a turbulent history with Petunia. But in her later years, I came to admire her strength."

He watched his kids. "I told my kids a lot that their Aunt Petunia wasn't the same one I grew up with. That was true, my aunt was a strict woman, and I don't think I ever thanked her for that. If not for her ways, I wouldn't be the man I am now. Petunia lost her son in battle, yet she still found the strength to continue on. I admire her for that. I know she's with Dudley now, probably crushing him with a hug for his heroics."

He blinked away some tears, chuckling. "Petunia would probably tell me to stop now, that I was stammering on, but all I know is that my aunt kept her strength throughout her life. Even at the end, she laughed with her family, told us stories that had me in tears. One of my teachers told me 'Death is the next great adventure', and I truly believe that Petunia has begun that adventure." He kissed the coffin, heading back to his family.

The rest of the day went as a blur for him. Petunia had requested to be buried in the same graveyard as her son and parents. He placed a bouquet of lilies on her grave, turning towards Dudley's and his grandparent's graves. He placed two other bunches of flowers, stopping for a moment as the rain began to pour.


End file.
